THE South Wales Argus Health and Care Awards recognised the difficult and challenging work of people working within the health and care sectors.

At a glittering event, the finalists, their friends and family, judges, sponsors, and other guests, celebrated their achievements.

A total of 15 awards were handed out on the night - each recognising a different area of the healthcare profession.

The headline sponsor of the event was St Joseph’s Hospital, in Newport, who also sponsored the Health Care Professional of the Year Award.

Fiona Davies, the business development director at St Joseph’s Hospital said: “We are delighted to be part of the awards and to have the opportunity to recognise the incredible dedication of individuals working in the health and care profession.

“We were proud to be sponsoring an award that recognised that hard work and dedication.”

The three finalists for the award were Russell Ham from Specsavers, based in Austin Fryers, Newport, Jemma Price, from Woffington House Care Home, in Tredegar, and Dr Keith Wilson, of the Cardiff & Vale University Health Board haematology team.

The Health Care Professional of the Year Award went to Dr Wilson who is consultant haematologist, and clinical lead for blood and bone transplantation at the Cardiff & Vale University Health Board.

He was described as an “outstanding” clinician who listens and supports patients, and is open about treatment options. 

Donna Dunn, who nominated him for his work with her well-known daughter, Emily Clark, who died following a battle with a rare form of cancer.

She said: “Emily looked forward to his ward rounds as an opportunity to develop her learning and understanding feeling able to challenge him and discuss openly her treatment options, results and side effects.

“We feel Dr Wilson made Emily’s time in hospital and her last year of life a little more bearable. He was always professional yet treated her as a friend. He had a human approach to a young lady who had become isolated from the outside due to her condition.  

“He never stopped listening, caring or educating her. He continued to research for more treatment until her last breath.”

Dr Wilson said: “It’s a great honour to receive this award and the team will find it a huge encouragement. It’s very rewarding work and they will be just as delighted as I am about the award.” 

The Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Newport City Council, saw finalists Julian Rudge, from the Welsh Ambulance Service, Emma Saysell, from St David’s Hospice Care, and June Thomas, for her campaign to install defibrillators in every school in Wales, battle it out.

The winner was Mr Rudge, who was unable to attend due to the Welsh Ambulance Service Staff Awards.

He was chosen for a “tremendous act of bravery, in defusing a very dangerous situation”.

It occurred when he attended a call as paramedic and was met by an agitated man with a chainsaw, who had attacked someone.
In the face of danger he maintained calm and calmed the situation until police arrived. 

Colleagues said they admired him for his bravery and his concern for others rather, than himself.

We received a huge number of nominations for the Volunteer of the Year Award, which was sponsored by Western Power Distribution.

The finalists were Sam Skelton, for St John Ambulance’s Newport division, Alan Hiatt, who volunteers at the Hafan Deg ward at the Ty Sirol unit at County Hospital in Griffithstown, and Charles Parish, who does voluntary work in the mental care field.

The winner of Volunteer of the Year Award was Mr Hiatt.

He began volunteering after the death of his wife, who was cared for at the hospital. He has also raised in the region of £10,000 for the unit.

The Hospital Team of the Year Award was sponsored by Chepstow Racing & Events.

The finalists were Cardiff and Vale University Health Board haematology clinical research group, the Royal Gwent Hospital Stoma Care nursing team, and the Royal Gwent Hospital surgical day team.

The Royal Gwent Hospital surgical team took the honour, after being described as “dedicated to giving each patient the best care possible”.

The finalists for the Mental Health Team of the Year category were: the Child and Adolescent Learning Disability Service (CALDS) team at St Cadoc’s Hospital, Cedar Park at Ysbyty’r Tri Chwm, in Ebbw Vale, and Newport Primary Care mental health care team.

The award, sponsored by Wales & West Utilities, went to the CALDS team for the work they do with young people and the support and help they offer their families.

Also honoured at the event was the Third Sector or Community Team of the Year. 

The finalists for the award, sponsored by the Cwmbran Centre, were Age Connects Torfaen, Sex Matters Too by Volunteering Matters, and Welsh Hearts.

The judges chose Welsh Hearts for their life-saving work placing defibrillators in communities, and delivering CPR and defibrillator training in Wales.

lThe GP Practice of the Year Award was sponsored by Tovey Bros, with Aber Medical Centre, in Hendredenny, Caerphilly, the Bellevue Group Practice, in Newport, and Clark Avenue Surgery, in Cwmbran, making up the finalists.

The Bellevue Group Practice won for the outstanding level of care that they provide from one of the busiest surgeries in Gwent.

There were three finalists for the Early Years Awards, which was sponsored by St John’s College.

They were Puddle Ducks South East Wales, Rougemont School Nursery, and Dr Srinivas Mankal, from Park Surgery, in Newport.

Dr Mankal received the award for his experience in paediatrics and the excellent care he provides to the children registered at the surgery.

He has saved the lives of a number of children during his career.

Community initiatives were recognised by the Healthy Neighbourhood Award,  sponsored by Malmo Hearing.

The finalists were Cwmbran parkrun, #ifyougoigo by Torfaen Sports Development, and Newport Live for its initiative Sport in the park.

The #ifyougoigo campaign was the winner. The campaign aims to get women and girls from across Torfaen active through sports, fitness, and community fitness classes. 

The Best Patient and Public Involvement Award, which sponsored by United Welsh, recognised work of the public, patients, carers and families in developing and evaluating health services.

The finalists were The Robins Volunteer Service, St Joseph’s Hospital, and Torfaen People First & Barod CIC. 

The award went to The Robins Volunteer Service for the work they do in supporting older patients in St Woolos and the Royal Gwent.

The Health Campaign of the year, which was sponsored by the Stroke Association, saw finalists Marie Curie for their #TeamLauren campaign, Mayberry Pharmacy for its Stop Smoking Health Campaign, and the Monmouthshire Games battle it out.

The award went to Mayberry Pharmacy for a campaign which helped almost eighty percent of those who signed up give-up nicotine for good.
lThere were four finalists for the Research Impact Award, sponsored by Health and Care Research Wales.

They were Dr Kate Brain from the PRIME Centre Wales, Professor Keir Lewis and Rachel Gemine from the Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli, Dr Louise Roberts from Cardiff University, and Emma Mills from the Clinical Research and Innovation Centre at St Woolos Hospital.

The award went to Ms Mills for her work studying to see if rates of stillbirth can be reduced by interventional care.

The Innovative Care in the Care Home Sector Award was sponsored by the Royal College of Nursing in Wales.

The finalists were Claremont Court Care Home in Malpas, Newport the Ty Bryn care home in Pontypool, and the Woffington House Care Home in Tredegar.

The award went to Woffington House Care Home for striving to improve delivery care in the care home sector.

lThe Best Innovation Award finalists were Aneurin Bevan University Health Board care homes, The Dementia Roadmap Wales and the Falls Response Team for Gwent.

The Falls Response Team was presented with the award by Argus editor Nicole Garnon.

The service has drastically improved the response provided to patients who have fallen within the health board area, through collaboration between professionals. 

Finally, the Together We Achieve Award was sponsored by the Monmouthshire Freemasons.

The award finalists were Ffrind i mi/Friend of Mine , St John Cymru Wales’ Newport division, and the Voice Hub.

The award went to volunteer-run, peer-led Voice Hub service, of Newport, which focuses on what service users see as problematic in their lives.